


𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒 — s. uchiha

by Premium_Package



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Groundhog Day, High School, Science Fiction, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 04:00:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29022354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Premium_Package/pseuds/Premium_Package
Summary: ━━in which a girl dies and a boy has to save her.
Relationships: Uchiha Sasuke/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 1





	1. 100 First Times

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, loves! I'm K. This story follows the Groundhog's Day theme where time resets when the main character dies. But of course, I've tweaked a few things to make it more original and interesting. Because this character will die (that's no spoiler), there will be some graphics in describing the death. It's a little repetitive and slower in the beginning, but trust me, it picks up a lot in later chapters.

Started: August 2020  
Ongoing

❂ ❂ ❂

INTRODUCTION  
I'm Premium Package, also known as K. You might know me from Wattpad or Quotev from my story, A Touch to Cure! You should go check it out!

❂ ❂ ❂

SYNOPSIS  
Restarting your day isn't exactly planned on your to-do list. Especially after witnessing the death of a classmate, you wouldn't really expect your day to rewind just for it to happen again. Uchiha Sasuke, amidst this mess, is the only one aware that everything is suddenly different. It's only then will he realize that his main goal is to save Okurina Kaori from suffering the same fate on repeat. 

❂ ❂ ❂

DISCLAIMERS  
※ I do not own any of the characters in Naruto. All of the characters belong to the mangaka: Masashi Kishimoto. (Characters will have OOC moments occasionally.)  
※ My OC, Okurina Kaori, is mine! If you would wish to use her in some way, please ask me! I will gladly let you do whatever you'd like with her as long as you have my permission first. 

❂ ❂ ❂

WARNINGS  
※ There will be language throughout the book.  
※ There will be graphic death scenes.   
※ I do not write intimate scenes. 

❂ ❂ ❂

EXTRAS  
※ This story starts off slowly, but I promise you it will pick up! There is repetition in chapters meant to mirror Groundhog's Day, but I try to leave cliffhangers on every chapter if I can.   
※ I'm passionate about keeping my grammar, writing, and plot overall straight. I intend to make this an enjoyable story for you guys. I take criticism! If you notice anything wrong with my writing, plot, holes, etc., tell me so I can fix it so other readers will have a better experience. 

Thanks for reading!

Also available on Wattpad and AO3. 


	2. The First

"I can't believe Orochimaru is giving us another test next week!" a vexatious blonde kid whined next to me, complaining as he always does. "The test last week was hard enough!" 

"Oh, get over yourself, Naruto," a pink-haired female sighed. "Even if you knew about a test that wouldn't happen for months, you still wouldn't study." 

"Not true!" Naruto claimed. 

"Oh, because you studied for the Japanese test you've known about since September?" 

"What test?" 

"My point." 

My eyes skim the outdoors as I ignore the two. Although it was November, it didn't appear to be cold as it felt. Coloured leaves held onto the tree limbs barely with the wind threatening to tear them away. Those that lost their grip scattered across the ground, tumbling and gliding along the grass and sidewalks. Even though I was a few floors up, I could hear the scratches it made. 

"WAH!" Naruto gasped, backing away from Sakura with a look of distaste on his face. 

I spared no longer than a second to glance in their direction before checking the clock hanging up high on the wall, above the chalkboard. Our class should've started minutes ago—keyword: should've. Our teacher was never here on time. His excuses usually consisted of being lost on the path of life or helping an elderly lady cross the street. I was sure he just slept in. 

A door slammed open near the back of the classroom, turning everyone's heads in its direction. A girl panted at the door, out of breath from running—forgetting our teacher won't be here for at least another five minutes. 

Her golden eyes jumped to the clock then drifted down to where our teacher would normally stand. She sighed in relief, but soon caught it when she noticed the several pairs of eyes studying her. Clearing her throat and adjusting her yellow scarf—matching the colour of her eyes—she started walking toward her seat as if nothing happened. 

I'm not sure why I still stared at her. There was nothing remotely special about her, likewise to her classmates, even as the rest of the class returned to their business. The brunette scratched her head uneasily as she peered around at everyone until finally finding me. 

For a split second, our eyes met. Neither one of us backed down for some time. In the end, I turned away, suddenly uninterested in the girl. For as unique and colourful as her eyes were, they didn't seem to be filled with anything captivating. They seemed empty and lifeless. 

"Ooh~" Naruto popped his head in front of mine. "I saw that action." 

I rose a brow, looking in his direction. "What action?" 

Wiggling his brows, he went, "I saw you looking at Kaori~" 

"I don't understand." 

"Oh, come on, teme! I saw the way you were looking at her! And the way she was looking at you! And the way—"

"Enough, Naruto." 

The blonde stuck out his tongue. "You're just too stubborn to admit it. You have a—"

"Ah, sorry, class!" the voice belonging to our teacher boomed, silencing the class. Although most of his face is hidden behind a mask and eyepatch, everyone can tell the smile he wore was unapologetic. Many of the students in the class called him out on it. "I was lost on the path of—"

"Cut the crap, sensei!" Naruto shouted, huffing as he sinks into his seat.

Kakashi-sensei scratched his fluff of white hair that spiked upward. A nervous sweatdrop beaded down the side of his face. "Anyway, let's go through roll call quickly, then we can start the class right away." 

Groans unanimously spread throughout the class. "Yes, sensei." 

Lunch break was as uneventful as always. Naruto was blabbering away about how Kaori and I shared a glance, claiming it was more than that. Sakura didn't sound too happy about that. 

A few of Naruto's close friends made fun and mocked me, trying to get on my nerves by overdramatizing the stare I shared with the girl. So much they tried to reenact it with me. Naruto found it oddly hilarious. I'm nowhere near the same. 

"Oh, come on. You don't even crack a smile at this?" he complained, poking my cheek. 

I swatted it away aggressively, finding just the fact he touched me was frustrating enough. "Why would I if it's not funny?" 

"You're such a party pooper..." the blonde sighed, reclining in his chair as he slurped noodles from his instant ramen cup. 

I finished the rest of my bento, something my dear brother made, and I quote, 'with all his heart'. Not that I was going to complain about not having to make my own lunch, but he didn't have to stress it that much.

"You guys are being so mean to him!" Sakura pouted, pushing Naruto to the side. She then turned to me, fluttering her eyes as if it lightens the situation. "I don't think you're a party pooper, Sasuke. Naruto is the one who is." 

"Gah! Sakura-chan!" Naruto cried. "B-but—"

"You want some chips to make you feel better?" Choji, a stronger-built kid in our class who is always seen eating something, offered him. 

Naruto pretended to sniffle and wiped away a fake tear as he agreed and sadly ate the chip. "Thank you so much, Choji. You are a life saviour!" 

Choji blinked. "You don't have to be so dramatic." 

"Oh, thank you, Choji! I can live once again!" Naruto leaned up against his friend, acting as if he were in a Soap Opera and was on the verge of death. 

I felt it in me that I no longer wanted to stay around them and listen to their nonsense. Using a classical excuse for their sudden concern on why I'm leaving, I headed out of the classroom. The noisy class was just as noisy as the hall. 

I did my best to tune out everything around me. Being around Naruto all the time, it's something you end up learning. It made the walk up to the roof of the building much quicker. Not like it was a long walk, to begin with. 

The chilly air immediately crashed into me the moment I opened the door. The breeze felt stronger than what it was on the walk this morning. Much rougher. I dragged myself over to the tall fence surrounding the roof, peering down below. Plenty more leaves broke from the trees and shot into the distance. 

My eyes traced one particular leaf until it slowed to a fall. The leaf was a golden yellow, similar to the scarf next to it. Subconsciously, I looked up slightly to find Kaori leaning against the trunk of a tree. She did nothing but sit. There was no sign of lunch around her, no activities to pass time such as a book, nor did she have any friends to accompany her. She merely sat and stared into the distance, focused on something. 

I shook my head when I realized how long I was staring at her. Ever since Naruto made a big deal out of this morning, it's been harder to ignore the girl. 

When the bell to return to class rang it's three consecutive dings, I watched as the girl hesitate to get up from where she sat. She wiped off her skirt and plucked a dark leaf out from her brown hair. It landed on the floor and she unknowingly stepped on it as she walked into the building.

The end of school finally came, and Naruto was taking his time gathering his stuff as usual. "I don't have all day, Naruto," I huffed, stuffing my hands into my pockets.

The school was close to empty now, and Naruto was scrambling around the whole classroom looking for his lost items—which I no longer question. With as much room in his head, it wouldn't surprise me if he found his lost stuff there. 

"I know, I know! Lemme just—OW! Oh, found it!" Naruto jumped to his feet after crashing hard into the ground by tripping over a chair he misplaced. He grinned while he holds up his lost item. 

"A pencil? I waited this long for a pencil?" I snapped, feeling the annoyance I have for this dunce grow. 

"It's a really nice pencil, though!" Naruto argued. "I mean, look at it!" 

Backing away from the sudden thrust of his pencil into my face, I glared down at it. "It looks like a normal pencil." 

Naruto stuck his tongue out at me, shoving his utensil in his pocket and grabbing his scarf and mittens. He's all wrapped up and prepared for a winter storm, unlike me who simply wore a light jacket. I dismissed his extra clothing and started walking out the door when... 

"Someone left their scarf behind!" Naruto shouted, almost joyfully. 

I tilted my head in his direction with no response necessary.

The dunce hopped over a few chairs to a desk in the middle of the class and threw his hand up in the air with something laced in his fingers. A yellow scarf. 

"Hehe, I bet you know who's scarf this belongs to~" Naruto cooed, shuffling to me and offering the scarf to me. 

"It seems you do, too." 

"Mm, maybe... But I can't quite put a finger on it!" The sly smirk on his face gave everything away. Somehow, he managed to plan this whole scheme. 

Not down for an argument with him, I snatched the scarf out of his hands and began walking out of the room. "Let's go, Naruto." 

"W-what?" he stammered. 

"You're coming with me." 

"Says who?" 

I narrowed my eyes at him threateningly. "Says me." 

Of course, this boy who has claimed to be my closest friend and stuck around me far too much was used to receiving my glares. Thus, being completely unaffected by them. 

Naruto rolled his eyes and threw his hands behind the back of his head. "Fine. I'll help ya." 

Without waiting for him, I strolled out of the classroom. I heard Naruto scrambling to catch up to me. As per usual, I didn't say a word to him as we went down the stairs. Though he kept blabbering about nonsense. I tuned him out, only listening in when I heard him say: 

"Oh, crap!" he shouted in alarm. "I forgot my something!" 

Eyeing him suspiciously, I asked of what. 

"My backpack, permission slip, and other stuff!" Naruto hopped a few yards before turning back to me. "Oh, don't wait for me! You've already changed your shoes, so go on ahead! I'll catch up to you!" 

Before I had a chance to retaliate, Naruto had disappeared back into the school. I had a feeling somewhere in my gut that speculated this was all part of Naruto's plan. I doubted the boy will come back out of the school until he knew I was gone. 

Some idiot. 

Spinning on my heal, I reluctantly continued on the path to giving Kaori her scarf back. Leaves crinkled under my feet. Several of them coloured fluttered onto the sidewalks and streets. From the harsher wind today, the trees appeared barer. Their branches were much more visible now. The sky was covered in clouds of grey, giving a gloominess to the afternoon. 

After what seems like ages of speed-walking in the scarce streets, I made it to a sidewalk that is elevated by a hill land alongside a river. Not many trees lined the sides, so on the sidewalk, it gave you a clear 360-degree view.

I saw familiar short, dark hair in a messy ponytail bouncing as Kaori walked a distance ahead of me. She wore a thick, light grey coat that seemed to be unzipped by the loose flow of it. Of course, the scarf usually wrapped around her neck was missing. 

All I was going to do is give it back to her and walk away. I wasn't sure what Naruto was expecting. 

I jogged a little bit to catch up to her. "Hey, Kaori!" I called out to her, pausing in my tracks when I reached close enough behind her. 

The girl, hearing me, turned to face me with a small smile on her face. "Oh, hey—"

Time seemed to slow then and there as a loud POW! seared through the air in a split second. I heard a faint thump as whatever flying object had collided with something. In slowly seconds, I watched as Kaori's golden eyes widened before draining of their colour, seeming more lifeless than ever before. Her body went limp and she tumbled down onto the ground. A thick, dark liquid stained her white school blouse and grey coat, spilling from the left of her chest onto the pavement of the sidewalk. She lay there for what felt like hours even if it was only a single minute. 

I stared, completely frozen in my spot. My eyes didn't peel away from the blood as it pooled in larger and larger amounts. The girl I was just about to return her golden scarf to lay on the ground, a bullet wound lodged where her heart might be. The scarf didn't match her eyes like it used to. A white, cloudy coat rested over the girl's irises now and she stared into the sky at nothing. 

I felt something form in my throat. An unnerving feeling poked at my lungs. My legs felt as if they turned to lead, drained of energy. I can't even move to her. I'm glued to my spot, just as motionless as the bloody corpse before me. 

What happened before me... couldn't be happening right now... Could it? There's no way that she could be... she was standing in front of me just a moment ago. How could she possibly end up... dead? 

I finally managed to stumble forward in hopes of what? Aiding her? I wasn't sure. All I knew is that I had enough strength in me to wobble forward and process everything. Process the limp body of a girl I never knew who hadn't done anything wrong. A girl who maybe had remembered her scarf could've avoided this. So she wouldn't be—

An odd sensation shot through my body the instant I blinked, and everything changed. I stared in disbelief at my surroundings. After all, it was weird how I was standing just in front of the dead body of a classmate but was now back in my classroom. 

"I can't believe Orochimaru is giving us another test next week! The test last week was hard enough!" 

"Oh, get over yourself, Naruto. Even if you knew about a test that wouldn't happen for months, you still wouldn't study." 

"Not true!" Naruto claimed. 

"Oh, because you studied for the Japanese test you've known about since September?" Sakura chimed. 

"What test?" 

"My point." 

Why was all of this sounding so familiar? It was just like before, this morning. Did I zone out when they were arguing and just dreamt a whole day without realizing it? Even if I merely zoned out... how did I end up predicting exactly what they said? Something didn't feel right. A feeling I remembered when I was walking to return Kaori her scarf... 

"WAH!" Naruto gasped, backing away from Sakura with a look of distaste on his face. 

A door slammed open near the back of the classroom. Along with the rest of the class, I turned my head. To my disbelief, standing in the centre of the door, was someone who I swore was dead just minutes ago. Kaori. She panted heavily, just like I remembered from this morning—or whatever morning I witnessed. 

Her eyes jumped to the clock, her eyes filled with that bright and saturated gold, no longer bearing a hazy coat. There she was, the girl I remember clearly was shot in the heart for some reason now stood very much alive at the door. Neither her blouse nor her thick coat had a hint of red on them. She even adjusted the yellow scarf wrapped around her neck which she didn't have before. 

My eyes darted down to the hand I once held it in. It's not there. I don't have her scarf anymore. 

When I looked back up, Kaori had made it to her seat and tried settling in. Again, she peered around at her fellow students to see if they were still gazing at her. Then her eyes landed on mine. 

My whole body froze right then and there as I try to process everything happening. Moments ago, she shared a look with me before her eyes completely faded. Now she was here. Alive. Staring at me as if nothing before even happened. 

Except, instead of me looking away like I did earlier, the girl turned her head to the side and continued to undo her scarf, unpack necessary items for class, as she normally would have. 

All I could think was: What the hell is going on? 


	3. Déjà vu

Moments must have passed by as my eyes glued themselves to the breathing figure seats only a few away from mine. She prepared for class without a worry in the world. Even as our teacher waltzed into class unannounced, I was still staring at her. 

I swore she was killed just a while ago. I knew she was shot. The sound of the shot rippling through the air, the immediate lifelessness that washed over her whole body, the blood. All the signs, the vividness and quickness of it all, it was impossible to say it was just a dream. There's no way I could've simply imagined it. 

No. 

There's no possible way. What I saw, happened. So why is it that she's alive? That I'm here? That everything around me was normal—where nobody acted like something was wrong? 

"Sasuke!" 

I snapped out of my thoughts and brought my attention toward the front of the class where Kakashi-sensei sighed with a look of annoyance swirling in his only visible eye. 

"I've been calling your name three times now. Please, respond to the first." 

Naturally, I went to say okay and I wouldn't make the same mistake again, but it was the first time I noticed how dry my mouth was. I could feel the cold pricks from the air as I inhaled, attacking my tongue specifically. My lips cracked, apparently chapped. Even my throat felt like raisins—dried and thinned out, making it hard to breathe normally. 

Instead, I forced myself to nod which was enough to satisfy the teacher. It didn't seem to work against Naruto. 

Unlike how I envisioned, Naruto's eyes weren't filled with the devilish twinkle. It didn't seem like he thought my stare at Kaori was something more than what it simply was, which was ironic now. Alternatively, he appeared concerned and perplexed. His blue eyes radiate suspicion. 

I dismissed it. Most likely, nothing important had even happened and I was making a bigger deal out of it than there was. Yes, that was the only reasonable solution to this. It never even happened. It was all just a dream. It had to have been. 

It could only have been my imagination. 

The rest of the day flew smoothly. Whenever we had partner projects, Naruto always did his best to try and partner up with me. As usual, we (I) got everything done, but towards the end, it was hard to focus on communicating with him.

For some reason, my eyes still drifted over to Kaori. Even the middle of my explanation on a certain question, I found myself studying her—how she moved, the way her eyes darted to her other group members, widened as if intrigued, and only spoke when her expression changed to deep-thought.

I also noticed her smile. It was... different, to say the least. Maybe it's because I'm always around Naruto and his bright beam that the lack of joy in her grin shocked me. It was almost as if she was forcing the smile for appearances. Sure, this assignment wasn't one to bring you a sense of euphoria, but the way she had to force a giggle to make it believable made me realize the connection. 

Her eyes. 

Was my hallucination trying to foreshadow something? Because when I glanced at her lusciously-coloured eyes, I saw the same absence of life glinting in them. Her eyes at first appearance said nothing, but the more you focused on them and lost yourself in them, you finally felt how empty they are. 

Yes, felt. Not just appeared empty, but you could feel that if you looked too hard, you'll lose yourself in the void. 

I shook my head after realizing I've been gazing at her too long, fearful she might notice me and suspect me for something. Still, for the rest of the class, it was hard not to spare a look her way. She was like a magnet, and I couldn't seem to fight the urge of being drawn to her. 

By lunchtime, Naruto hadn't accused me of staring at Kaori as he did in my hallucination. Instead, our term carried on like any other day. 

"Sakura, why'd you hit me?" the blonde whined, rubbing a spot on his head I assumed is where he was whacked. 

"I didn't sit by you because I wanted to be by you, I sat here because this is where I always sit for lunch!" 

"B-but Sakura-chan...!" 

The pink-haired girl folded her arms and angled her body away from Naruto. She did her best to ignore his explanation. 

During lunch, we usually rearranged the desks for our unusually large group to sit at. Of course, that's too many desks to move, so we usually grouped together and had each group surrounding the other one. It was no surprise my group was the one chosen to be in the middle of our collective seats. 

Unfortunately for me, I was stuck with the Uzumaki. 

"Oi, Sasuke-teme! What'd you get for this problem!" He threw a sheet of paper in front of me aggressively, pointing to the question needing assistance. 

"Figure it out yourself," I replied nonchalantly. 

"Aw, come on! I really need help!" 

"Then ask someone else." 

"But... please! No one else will help me!" 

"And you think I will?" 

Naruto sank in his seat, seeming defeated. "It's just one problem, though." 

"Then it shouldn't be a problem to get it done on your own." I sighed, wondering when he will end his bickering. I ignored his pleads as I open my bento, wondering what my brother had prepared for me. When I saw what was packed, I tensed. 

It was the exact same lunch I had in my dream. Not that it mattered, but it still surprised me to find out I had envisioned this exact meal. It almost felt too real. 

"Sasuke!" A hand shoved my head backwards to which I threw a scowl at whoever did it. It was Naruto. "Dude, you okay?" 

I furrowed my brows at his retarded question. "I'm fine." 

"Well, you didn't look like it." 

Scoffing, I decided to eat nonetheless. 

"I'm being serious." 

"As am I." 

"Bro, it looked like you just saw a ghost or something!" 

I glanced up, mouth sealed. Maybe I stayed silent to see if he would point something of value out, or maybe I just didn't want to participate in communicating with him anymore. Both were very plausible. 

Naruto held my gaze. His blue eyes carried a seriousness I see rarely in him. "What happened?" 

I paused a moment longer as I debated whether or not to answer him honestly. Remembering that Kaori's death had just been a dream, there was no use of spilling it to Naruto. However, also noting that every event I dreamt was becoming a reality concerned me. A ball of worry swelled within me. 

"Nothing happened." 

"Liar." 

My head swayed from side to side. "I would advise that you figure out the answer to your homework first before you try to figure out mine." With that said, I stood up and headed out of the classroom. Again, I had lost my appetite, and I wasn't too fond of it. 

I didn't bother looking for Kaori's scarf after school. There didn't seem to be a point in attempting to do so. Once I returned it to her, what would have happened? Would she mysteriously get shot? Or would life carry on as it normally did and my sudden awareness for Kaori disappeared? 

This was most likely a one-time thing and it would be forgotten by tomorrow, I was sure of it. 

Although, I would have to meet with her at some point. She ended up leaving her scarf at school, the saturated gold that was hard to miss from even a long-shot—yet she forgot it. I almost wonder if she did it on purpose. Regardless, I'd have to return it to her tomorrow. 

I sighed, gazing up at the tree filled with its colourful selection of leaves, few fluttering down and scattering across the sidewalk and road. The cool breeze briskly carried the fallen above cars and buildings. The wind didn't bother me until I made it past the windbreakers. 

As soon as I strode past the buildings and trees, out into the open, the cool breeze morphed into a harsher draft. Almost coincidentally, a wave of anxiety washed over me, the sort of dread you get when you feel something terrible is about to happen. How I didn't put two and two together, I didn't know, but it was too late before I could even process it much longer. 

I walked up the set of stairs that lead to a passage alongside a riverbank. There, in the middle of the sidewalk, stood Kaori. She only stood. From the back, I couldn't make any assumption as to what she was staring at or what she may be thinking, but as I neared her, she must've sensed me. 

That's when it happened. 

After lifting her head up, she turned her head to me, her body still angled away as if she wasn't sure whether to fully confront me for a conversation or just leave a quick greeting. She never had a chance to choose either of those options. 

POW! Air didn't even whistle, the bullet flew so fast. For the second time I've seen so far, Kaori coughs forcefully. Her golden eyes read help for only a moment before they fluttered to a close. Her body swayed before tipping backwards. For a moment, I could see the rich colour of red seeping her white school top.

I didn't get a glance much longer for she tipped too far over the edge. Her body rolled down the slope with her limbs bending at odd angles, some making me feel as if my bones were dislocating themselves as it happened. Her body finally toppled to a stop as the front of her lay in the grass, back facing the sky. 

My heart halted for the moment hers did, too. Just watching her die, this time for real. The way she fell, the way her body folded down the hill, the way her blood spilt, it managed to surface bile which led a sour and burning sensation in the back of my throat. 

I hesitated to move toward her. Even as this was happening again, I still didn't know how to react to a dead body. I knew checking on it would do absolutely nothing except nauseate me more. Besides, I didn't have a choice. I was glued, frozen, just like I was in my dream. 

My dream. 

Was it trying to warn me? How could something like me possibly predict someone's death? Or did my brain pick up on signs around me to subconsciously draw a conclusion in the future? How was watching Kaori get shot in a vision going to help me change the outcome? 

I didn't pay attention to it. Now, I suffered the consequences as her blood ran cold, drying. 

It was then that I reminded myself to breathe and contain myself. It wasn't every day you see someone die, but I'm not going to panic. Surely staying composed will help me process everything. Right? 

Closing my eyes, I tried to let my mind run blank, empty. A sort of sensation ran down my spine as I began to feel calmer once again. That ball of anxiety from earlier popped and began to flow out of my body. I felt like I had control of everything now. 

"I can't believe Orochimaru is giving us another test next week! The test last week was hard enough!" 

Just like that, my entire body went rigid. 

"Oh, get over yourself, Naruto. Even if you knew about a test that wouldn't happen for months, you still wouldn't study." 

No. 

"Not true!"

"Oh, because you studied for the Japanese test you've known about since September?" 

No, no, no. 

"What test?" 

"My point." 

I snapped my eyes open and dread crashed into me like an ocean wave. Everything I thought I relaxed simply diminished and panic was once again rising in my chest. My guess, as badly as I wanted it to be wrong, left my mouth dry when I realized it was correct. 

I'm back in the classroom. 

Whack! The door in the back of the classroom had slammed open. I gulped hard, knowing who was in the doorway without even having to turn around. Yet, when I still looked back, I felt lifeless. 

Kaori, well and alive, panted at the door without a trace of death lingering on her. Breathing, standing, and moving. The fact that she was alive defied all of science. It didn't make sense. 

None of this did.


	4. Attempt to Change

Now I knew for sure I didn't imagine her death. 

That didn't mean I understood what was going on still. I'm still very far from that conclusion. 

What was the whole purpose of this? What was the reason for her dying twice? Are these supposed to be signs? Will she die again? 

Will she die again? 

I see. Last time I ignored the first experience, dismissing it as some sort of hallucination. Now that I've encountered two of her deaths with minor changes in the days' events, I had to believe that she will die if she walks on that pathway home tonight. It's my job to stray her from it. That was the only possible way to get her out of this imminent death and end this cycle of confusion for me.

After I take her off that elevated sidewalk, then the next day should roll in, as if nothing had ever happened. Only then could I get this girl off my mind and move on with school. 

How exactly would I get her away from the sidewalk, though? She left her scarf here, so maybe I need to return it to her quicker if her forgetting the item is inevitable.

No, she'll eventually have to walk that way home. Once returned, I could already see her following her same trail. So the scarf won't change anything. What I need to do is... 

"I can do it for you, Sakura!" Naruto bellowed, interrupting my thoughts. "I'm perfect for the—."

"No!" Sakura argued. "Ino and I have it covered. The last thing I need is for you to ruin it all." 

I rolled my eyes, remembering that outside of saving Kaori, I still have these human beings to deal with. Besides, they never left my side up until school ended today—yesterday... I wasn't sure anymore.

Sakura had some sort of assignment to do with Ino and they needed to pick up supplies. Naruto, the first time, originally stayed with me after school. Last time, however, he was nowhere to be found. 

The only way I can make a change is if I catch Kaori before she leaves school which is rather difficult. By then, I won't be able to make a big difference. We'd be ten minutes away from her death scene. 

When can I contact Kaori when Naruto nor Sakura as around me but isn't too late to make a significant change? 

Lunch. The past two times I've had lunch, I've made two successful escapes from Naruto's group of friends—and Naruto himself. That's when I'll be able to talk to Kaori. 

"Why can't I come with you, though?" Naruto begged. "I promise I won't do anything bad!" 

"Naruto, I've already told you, Ino and I can handle it by ourselves! I don't need you to do anything." 

"But Sakura—"

"We're ending this here. I've already told you—Sasuke?" 

Apparently, my just-standing-up alarmed the Haruno. She completely dropped her argument with Naruto just like that. That was how much she obsessed over me. 

"I'll be back," was all I muttered before I made way to Kaori's desk.

The brunette scribbled on a sheet of paper, seemingly frantic to get whatever it is done. I hovered over her desks, waiting for her to notice me and glance up. She didn't. She continued to write and occupy herself. I had to tap her paper so she would finally acknowledge me. 

She held up a finger. "Hold on." 

The nerve. I was there to tell her that we needed to meet up because she was going to die; I needed to tell her she was going to get shot immediately after school, yet she held up her finger to tell me to 'hold on'. 

After a moment, she added an aggressive dot at the end of her sentence before finally turning to face me. Her eyes widened in surprise when she recognized me. I wondered if she regretted acting superior now. 

She didn't regret anything. After a click of her tongue, she asked, "What is it?" 

Sternly and as effectively as possible, I stated my case. "Meet me on the roof during lunch." 

The girl squinted at me, testing to see if I was joking or not. When she realized I wasn't, her lids closed over her gold iris. It was almost as if she was annoyed with my presence. "What for? We're not even allowed on the roof." 

So? Would that really stop her? "There's something important I need to discuss with you." 

Kaori scoffed. "Then why not talk to me now? Kakashi isn't here yet." 

"Privately." 

She rose a brow. "Okay, then whisper." 

I stood there, completely silent and frozen, re-contemplating if saving this girl was even worth it. Since she seemed to have a snarky solution to every suggestion I made, that made me believe she was problematic. Whoever wanted to kill her, I think I could understand their reasoning. 

"This private and important matter can't be discussed here and quietly." 

Kaori crossed her arms, huffing a strand of her bang out of her face. "Why's that? If you're so set on going to the roof for your 'secretive meeting'—"

If this girl kept up this attitude, I wasn't even going to bother warning her. "If you paid attention to your classmates, you'd know that they would spread rumours." 

"They're probably already spreading them now. You've never talked to me before." 

"The rumours would be much worse if they heard about what I had to say." 

"Sounds to me like you're worried." 

"Worried?" I snapped, venom dripping from my words. "The only thing I'm worried about is figuring out what the hell is wrong. You are not making it easy for me." 

"Guess I can't help you with that—"

I narrowed my eyes, forcefully using my glare to convince her since nothing else has. 

Instead of acting frightened or compelled, she sighed with a shrug. "Fine. I'll meet you on the roof during lunch." 

That was it. A simple shrug and she had ended the conversation with me. As I take her death seriously and go to the extent of warning her and attempting to save her, she dismissed it like it was as simple as turning off a light. What the hell was wrong with her? 

"Okay, are we done talking now? I need to finish this." She pointed to her paper casually, playing dumb when she clearly knew I was frustrated with her. 

I said nothing and just waltzed away. I already regretted trying to sway her from her fate, but at least trying will keep her from a gunshot. Or so, I hoped. 

As soon as lunch was within reach, I managed to get out of there. Naruto pestered me about my sudden interest with Kaori, but it happened to me once so I didn't bother myself trying to consult with him again. What was the point of explaining something that we'd both forget in a few days? 

Sakura had been concerned, too. Unlike the past two times where she had been oddly silent, she tried to ask questions and get some sort of respectable answer out of me. Again, I dismissed her for the same reasons as Naruto. 

Like that, I headed up to the roof unnoticed. Just like my first day, the cold breeze crashed into me the moment I opened the door. September's greying sky added to the gloomy aura surrounding the school. It was almost as if the sky knew what was happening, that it was trying to reflect my jumbled emotions. 

I just hoped it was sunny the next day. 

After long moments of waiting, the door to the roof slammed open, revealing the dark-haired female who glowered at me with distaste. Someone did not have a swell morning. She crossed her arms with an attitude that bloomed before I had even said anything. 

"All right. What is it?" she grumbled. "If your friends are already hiding, tell them to come out. I just wanna get this over with." 

Puzzled, I retorted, "What the hell are you talking about?" 

"Oh, don't play dumb with me!" Kaori accused. "I know how this goes every time. I'm not falling for your tricks." 

Every time? Tricks? What is she even saying? "What tricks? There's—"

"—something important you need to tell me. Yeah, I get it!" she continued. "After you and your friends attack me or some shit, then you'll tell me something's waiting for me at home. Right?" 

What the hell does she mean by attack? Does she already know she's going to die today? Or did she think that the place she was going to get shot at... was the place she was going to get jumped? 

"Then you'll laugh and act like nothing ever happened." She rubbed her eyes furiously. "I always knew you were some sort of jerk. You're just like them!" 

"Will you shut up!" I snapped, getting annoyed by her constant bickering of something I didn't and never would have understood. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about, so will you let me say what I have to say?" 

She glared at me, thinking it would affect me. "Then what do you have to say?" 

I inhaled, hoping this would get through to her. "You are going to die." 

Kaori, unlike how I expected her to react, simply stared at me. "Knew it." 

Taken aback, I asked, "You do." It came off as a warning. 

"You really are like the rest of them." 

"What the hell are you—" 

"You guys can come out now!" she shouted to the area around her. Stillness responded back to her. "Hey, I'm not scared of you, so show yourselves!" 

That was it. She was mentally ill. 

Her eyes furiously dashed from one place to the next, frantically searching for something. However, with her aggressive and impulsive behaviour, it was almost hard to notice the slight fear that sprinkled on her face. What was she afraid of? 

"Who are you looking for?" I demanded rather sternly. 

"Your friends," she snapped. 

"My friends aren't up here." 

"Maybe it's because you don't have any." 

I'm surprised she has the audacity to say that when the way she was acting before would quite easily frighten random people. Wondered who her friends were. 

"Look, I'm really tired and I wanna go. So just call out your friends and finish this up." 

"I've already told you, there's no one else up here." 

"Funny. Now you think wasting my time is for show!" 

She's really starting to get on my nerves now. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about." 

"Haha, of course, you don't. Play dumb, we've all been there." 

"Kaori, I'm being serious." 

"So. Am. I." Her face twisted with the rage compiled into her, somehow managing to all fit. "Fine, if no one is up here, can I leave?" 

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Not until you take me seriously." 

She huffed, closing her eyes before turning her head away from me. She glared into the distance but did not say anything. 

I took that as a sign to continue. "You are going to die." 

"That's funny." 

"No, it's not." 

She eyed me suspiciously. "I don't know if you realize how ridiculous you sound right now." 

"How ridiculous I sound?" 

"You up and out of nowhere tell me to meet up with you—and we've never talked before—and you try to tell me that I'm going to die? Are you serious?" 

"Does it look like I would joke about this?" 

Kaori crossed her arms, lips curling into a frown. "If you're so serious about me dying, then when?" 

"After school." 

"Okay, where?" 

"By the riverbank."

Her brows furrowed. "By the riverbank? That's an odd place." 

"I know." 

"Well, since you seem to have such a beautifully sculptured future about my death, then how will I die?" 

"You're shot."

Her mouth hung slightly open, but not from shock. From disbelief. "You are out of your mind." 

"I'm trying to warn you," I replied, mirroring her arm-crossing. 

"Well, it's a stupid warning and I don't buy a single bit of it." 

At this point, I was too mentally exhausted to find a good enough reason to even sacrifice my time for her. This girl had too much of a nerve to even hear anyone out. All she did was find a way to annoy the other person by using sarcastic remarks and questions. She would even go to the point of throwing a little tantrum because things didn't make sense for her. 

"Then how about we make a deal." 

"A deal? You? The Uchiha? With me? Please, I've heard a better joke than that." 

"What is with you?"

"Nothing. It's what's with you! You're an absolute jerk who doesn't have anything better to do than to mess with me." 

"Call me a jerk, I don't care. I'm trying to save you." 

"Save me? Save me?!" she stammered. "Save me from what?! The falling sky?!" 

"From dying." 

"How do you know I die, huh?" 

"I—" I stopped myself, not exactly knowing how to answer that. What was I supposed to say? I watched her die? Good one. "I just know." 

"Brilliant. I'm suddenly convinced. You'd be a great lawyer." 

"Sorry for not knowing how to warn you," I sarcastically spat. 

"That's the first thing I heard that you didn't know." 

"Kaori, just listen to me. Meet me at the school gate. We'll go somewhere public. And then you won't die." 

"How do I know you're not tricking me." 

"You don't." 

"And if I don't die, what's gonna happen, huh? I still won't believe you." 

"Then we can forget today ever happened." 

She looked me up and down as if analyzing me. "More." 

"You won't ever have to worry about speaking to me again." 

She pursued her lips. Of course, that's what tempted her. "And if you're right...?" 

"If I'm right?" 

She coughed purposefully. "What if someone else dies in my place? What will you do then?" 

"I'm not sure." 

"Wait, how do you know it's me and not someone else?" 

I bit my tongue. Apparently, I've already ticked her off enough. There's no sense in trying to push her limits. "Look, if someone else dies, I'll figure it out. I just have to make sure that you—"

"Are safe and blah blah blah." To emphasize her annoyance, she used her hand to reenact me. "Fine. I'll be a part of this party trick, but after today, I never want to speak to you again." 

Finally, something we can agree on. "Then you'll meet me at the gate." 

Kaori, unsatisfied with the way this turned out, sighed. "Fine." With that, she spun on her heel, checking her surrounding area once more before storming down the stairs and out of sight. 

I let out a breath I wasn't aware I was holding. It was a sigh of relief. Finally, this day could end and I wouldn't have to worry about talking to her again. No constant anticipation for her snarky retorts, no exerting more energy to argue with her. It will all end. To be frank, I was more than fine with that.


	5. Not Just a Bullet

I had realized that Kaori wasn't the sweet girl she appeared to be—or at least she didn't act like that with me. After our conversation ended, she continued to throw glares my way right when nobody would be looking. 

It wasn't difficult to subside them as if they meant nothing, but knowing that she held some sort of grudge started to unnerve me little by little. I was almost tempted to send a glower right back at her. The thing is, if I did that, there was a chance I could ruin the deal and jeopardized my mission to save her from walking to the riverbank. It took a lot in me to stay neutral. 

Naruto and Sakura pried into my business, instantly becoming detectives. They dug their noses deep to try and figure out what my conversation with Kaori had to do with anything. To be frank, they were more than surprised. 

"Are you some sort of partner with Kaori?" Sakura asked first, a finger curled on her chin. "Is there some sort of project I'm unaware of?" 

"She's not another fangirl, is she?" Naruto pleaded. Similar to me, he wasn't fond of the select females in the class that ogled over me. 

"No," I answered. 

"Did she do something to you?" 

I stayed silent, focusing on something outside the window and onto the buildings in the distance. I tried my best to distract myself with the fluffy clouds, the cars rolling by, or the coloured leaves swirling in the breeze. Anything peaceful to contrast with the energy in Naruto and Sakura's questions. 

Eventually, the two gave up on pestering me, but it didn't stop them from sparing me glances as some form of a message I needed to decipher. Even in the middle of class, Naruto whipped back to me with a demanding look in his eye. It was apparent he wanted to know, yet he still questioned nothing further. Oddball, that one was. 

Sakura was a little more discrete in her way of communicating with me. Of course, after having fancied me for quite some time, she thought she mastered the ability to study me while I didn't realise. Although, that was false. Her gazes never went unnoticed.

I just chose to ignore it, just like I was doing right now. 

Instead, I managed to catch Kaori's face distort in disgust whenever she turned to glance at me. As Naruto wasn't exactly the quietest in keeping conversations to himself, she voluntarily involved herself. She wasn't too happy with the way I was handling things. 

One time, I caught her glaring at me head on to which I glared back. Her facial expressions were starting to annoy me. She glanced at the Uzumaki before shaking her head. She muttered something but I never picked up on what it was. 

When class ended, I didn't wait another second as I bolted out of there. The sooner I could vanish from Naruto and Sakura's sight, the more time it would save me. The only thing I needed to worry about right now was keeping Kaori from walking down that path and ending this odd cycle so life could go back to normal. I didn't want to be burdened to another same day. 

In the bay which was already filling up with students of all grades, I changed my shoes and manoeuvred my way out the door. A few daydreaming females and some of Naruto's good friends attempted to speak with me. I never stayed around long enough for them to finish a sentence. 

I glanced back to see if I could find Naruto or Sakura. When I saw heads of pink and gold shuffle downward, I was forced to find a quick hiding spot. I found a place outside the school gate, down in between an alley of two cement walls. It was along the opposite way Naruto or Sakura had to go, so I shouldn't need to worry about them peaking around the corner. Still, I crouched within a shadow for safe measures. 

They chatted, but their voices seemed to blur with the sound of passing vehicles, so I never heard exactly what they said. All I could pick up on was the fact that the voices were quieting, meaning they were walking away. I didn't emerge until I was positive I couldn't hear them anymore. 

I was right. I peered around and there was no sign of them anywhere. Good. 

"What the hell are you doing?" Kaori snapped as she suddenly appeared in front of me. She wore her thick grey coat, unzipped. Besides her bag and folded arms scrunching up the jacket, it would've flowed around her from being too big. Her yellow scarf was neatly wrapped around her neck, popping the luscious colour in her eyes. Still the ones of emptiness. 

"What's it matter to you?" I retorted, narrowing my brows subtly at her. 

She rolled her eyes. "Okay. Whatever. Let's just get this over with." 

Instead of how I envisioned we'd leave the school, she decided she would take the lead in the travel without a glance back to see if I was following. Although her life was on the line and I was in charge of saving her, she thought that being in front was the right course of action. 

I definitely didn't like this girl. 

The one time I caught up to her was at a red light and we couldn't cross the road yet. I turned to tell Kaori that I would be the one leading from now on which would obviously result in an argument. Only, when I peered her way, I could tell she was antsy. She would repeatedly tap her foot to the ground, throw her eyes in all sorts of directions as if trying to notice something, and her hand played with the strap of her school bag. 

At first, I thought that maybe she was starting to get a grasp of the situation. It finally sank into that thick skull of hers that she would've died if she walked home like she normally did. 

"Finally taking this seriously?" I demanded. 

She titled her head to me. "Taking what seriously? The whole 'I'm gonna die, oh no!' thing?" Kaori shook her head. "Yeah, try telling that to my grandma." 

Again with another pointless comeback. "You think this is a joke?" 

"Um, yeah, actually." 

"Of course. Everything seems to be a joke to you." 

She faked a laugh and made it obvious that I noticed. "I make everything a joke? Pfft, wow."

"Wow what?" I hissed.

"Alright, Genius, listen to this. How about I tell you you're going to die in five minutes because some psycho is gonna stab you? Would you believe me?" 

The question stumped me. I could only glare at her. I realized now that I had come off too oddly during lunch. Approaching someone and supposedly announcing they'll die and hope that they believe me didn't seem as logical as it did yesterday. I knew she was making that up to prove a point, but now I finally understood. Because the thing is, I wouldn't believe her. 

She clicked her tongue. "Thought so." 

The light turned green and we made our way across the road, both of us fighting for the spot in front. 

"You know, let's say, hypothetically, I do believe you," she started finally giving up on trying to lead, "that maybe you're right and I was gonna die." 

"Go on." 

"Why would you go through all this effort to save me?" When there was silence, she continued. "I mean, we've never talked before, we hardly ever look at each. We just know that the other exists and that's it. So why?" 

I didn't show any sort of sign that I heard her, but she knew I did. The question surprised me a little, and because of that, I didn't have an answer prepared. She already believed I was an idiot, so explaining to her that I'm stuck on the same day on repeat every time she got shot would only make her think I'm extremely insane. My real motive for saving her was to end this cycle so I could go back to having a normal life where fate didn't force me to make an effort to save someone so stubborn. I never had the motivation to save her just because. 

In the end, I remained silent. 

"Wow, you really are quite the persuader. All of the points in your argument are wonderfully executed. I almost felt that this was real."

Maybe if I stop responding, she'd get the message and keep to herself. 

"Oh, so now you're quiet." 

Another red light beamed just before we made it to the crosswalk, forcing us to halt. 

"Hey! I'm talking to you, Mr. Popular!" She used her arm to shove my shoulder which was able to turn me just enough to face her. "I don't care if you're popular, have a life, friends, or whatever, but when you drag me into some stupid mess, making up a horrible excuse as to why you suddenly up and talked to me, and then don't answer any of my questions, it pisses me off!" 

The attention of passerby's started to irk me. Plenty spared glances and shared whispers about how I might look in this situation wasn't pleasant. With every word this childish girl rambled, it only worsened my image. It was doing more than just frustrating me. 

"I know you've got important stuff to do and that everyone loves you, but I won't tolerate you treating me like scum! So stop fucking ignoring me and answer the goddamn question!" 

Her shouting popped something in me and it surfaced a dark aura around me. Leaning down, I whispered into her ear. "Do you really think I'm trying to mess with you?" 

Her eyes widened in surprise as if she wasn't expecting my reply. "I—"

"I'm not here to play games. I'm here to get this done and over with."

Kaori's eyes narrowed to slits as rage boiled right in her veins. I could feel the heat it radiated. Yet, she kept her lips sealed, meaning my retort was sufficient. 

The beeping for the pedestrian light increased as I just noticed the light had been green for some time. Without another word, I straightened up and nonchalantly strolled away from the furious girl. Not until I got to the other side did I pick up on her voice, except it was too quiet to tell what she'd said. I glanced back to demand her to speak up if she had something to say about me. My words ran short. 

There was a gush of wind earlier that managed to blow Kaori's scarf right off her neck and back into the crosswalk. She must've said something out of frustration as she turned on her heel and stormed over to pick it up. When she kneeled to reach for it, it was evident that she could not escape what happened next. 

All in a blur of slow motion, I watched Kaori lift her head at the sound of a car blaring its horn. Her golden eyes widened in horror when she realized what was coming for her. She attempted to scramble to her feet, but she was far too slow. Within the mix of screams, breaks, and horns all at once, you could hear the strong thunk as metal collided with a body, sending someone sprawling out further into the road. 

Silence and tension froze at the scene, leaving everyone in a state of terror. Then all at once, everyone was either moving as they shouted for help, or the others found themselves unable to do anything—like me. My heart had stopped beating the entire time I watched the accident, now restarting and pounding harder than ever. Even though I could hear the screams and sirens, it all felt distant. My vision seemed to blur as the world slowly spun in my head, trying to process what went down. 

I gulped aggressively as I waited for Kaori to get up, rub her head, and say something unpleasant, but she lay on the road motionless as her bag and its items scattered around her frozen frame. I stared for so long, expecting her to roll over. It was hope, however, that fogged up my mind from the harsh reality. 

It was only when someone shook their head did everything crash into me all at once. The failure, dread, hopelessness, and confusion attacked me like a hurricane. All these emotions swirled inside me. 

With all the precautions I took, with every step I made to avoid her dying, how did it still end up like this? How did it end up with the same result? Kaori was only supposed to be shot, I was supposed to save her, and that would the end of the cycle so I wouldn't have to repeat the same day over again. She was supposed to be alive, breathing as she should have instead of sacrificing herself just to retrieve her scarf. 

Why did it have to end up like this? Where did I go wrong? How could I have let this happen? 

How could I have failed?

Someone grasped my shoulder reassuringly, somehow sensing my uneasiness. The comforting gesture caused me to hesitantly but shakily peek up at the person. Although everything wasn't focused, I was able to recognize the pair that stood beside me. Kakashi-sensei rubbed my shoulder while Obito-sensei muttered something under his breath.

As I was about to say something, anything to help me understand, gravity seemed to escape Earth for a split second. My body felt weightless as my surroundings slowly dissipated. The sounds of cars' horns and engines, the people's cries of terror, and the whistle of the wind slowly muffled in my ears. The scene that unravelled before me blurred harshly, every colour blending together. Just for a moment, I remained in a black pit I was too familiar with.

What I opened my eyes to reminded me of everything I couldn't avoid. 

"I can't believe Orochimaru is giving us another test next week!"


	6. Getting Nowhere

It was happening again. Naruto and Sakura arguing like childish lawyers, Kaori slamming the door open showing her very much alive self, Kakashi walking in to start class—it was restarting again. 

None of it made sense to me. Originally, I thought avoiding the crime scene at the riverbank would put an end to this loop. If Kaori hadn't been shot, then everything would go back to finally being normal. 

So how did I end up back here, reliving the same day for the fourth time? After bypassing the route home, after ensuring that she was as far away from being murdered, after going through the frustration of dealing with someone as adamant as her, she still died. 

I don't understand. It was supposed to end yesterday. Then why? Why am I still here? Why did time reset again? 

Thoughts ploughed my brain like a truck, and it was impossible to focus on my homework tasks. My brain was so bombarded and restless, I barely noticed Naruto frantically trying to get my attention. Although I do ignore him plenty of times, this time was accidental. 

"Dude, what is with you today?" he complained, crossing his arms. 

"Nothing," I replied. 

He grunted. "There's something bothering you, and I wanna know what it is." 

I glanced away from him. "Nothing is bothering me." 

"Sasuke." 

"Naruto." 

"Teme—what is going on with you, huh?" 

"I'm not going to repeat myself," I snarled. "So drop it." 

"Not until you give me a good reason." 

"It's none of your business." 

The blonde leaned forward. "Tell me, Sasuke." 

"Naruto, just drop it." 

"No. You've been out of it all morning. This isn't like you." 

"Am I not allowed to not be like me for a moment?" 

Naruto stuttered, mixing all the words in his dictionary and made this one awful sound. "Fine. Don't tell me what happened. But you can't keep this a secret forever." 

With the way time kept resetting, I was positive no one was ever going to find out about my situation. His warning seized to affect me.

  
Lunch sprang around and I knew that my time was running short to try and persuade Kaori for the second time. After the last excursion, I wasn't entirely sure how to sway her. When I was so sure that the reason time reset from a bullet, it confuzzled me to think it would restart the day again after a car crash. The image was still clear in my mind. 

I pushed it aside and tried to focus on the task at hand. I had no time to dwell when the end of the school day was creeping closer. I needed to act now. 

As I proceeded to get out of my seat and look for her, I noticed her absence in the room. That puzzled me. For my plan to work, I kind of needed Kaori to be a part of it. But where could she be? Everyone else is still here so it's possible she went to the restroom and would come back to sit with her friends. 

I waited a few more minutes to let that theory come into play. Still no sign of her anywhere. My mind was in a whirlpool as I tried to reckon wherever in the world she could be. If it wasn't the classroom, where else would she have gone to? 

As if on cue, my eyes drifted over to the window. Of course, this was facing the wrong side of the outdoors, but that quick glance at one of the swaying trees, it's multicoloured leaves dancing around it, I knew exactly where she would be. Without sparing a glance at Naruto as he suddenly shouted something at my departure, I sprang through the halls and down the stairs. 

Ahead of me, I knew an argument was going to spark. Just from my one encounter with her, it was evident she was more than difficult to convince. On top of that, she had her trademark responses ready to be slammed onto the table with every comment I uttered. Yet, I couldn't let that discourage me, for this had to work. I couldn't live through the same day again, and I don't want to talk to Kaori more than I have to. 

I bolted through the doors leading outside, a gush of cool yet musky-sweet-scented air wafted over me. I quickly scanned the perimeter of the school: the soccer field gated with tall fencing, flitting leaves raced in the wind, fluttering on the sidewalk, and the grey sky towering above peered down at me with threatening eyes as if it knew. Like the clouds were all-knowing of the future and were anticipating my failure. 

I snarled but didn't let it intimidate me. Just because the last three times I failed doesn't mean it's a guarantee now. 

I spotted Kaori sitting under a tree, by herself with nothing to entertain her. It was a copy-and-paste image from the first day and it spooked me to make that correlation. It only made reliving these days feel more real. 

The crunching of dead leaves as I approached her figure alarmed her. She lifted her body from the resting position against the tree trunk and cocked her head toward me. Her lips stayed sealed as she studied me carefully, but there was no distaste in her eyes. Not yet. 

When I paused in front of her, she grew more confused but reluctantly got up to her feet. She wiped her blouse and skirt. "Uh, can I help you?"

I studied her, feeling a moment of hesitation as I figure out what I needed to say. The last time I confronted her, she had hated me from the moment I spoke to her. One word out of my mouth, and she was ready to respond with sarcasm. I couldn't find an easy way out of that passage of annoyance. 

There had to be another method I could use that would lead to more desirable outcomes. What can I say that won't rile her up and lead her to be uncooperative with me? What's something that doesn't scream 'you're going to die' and be won't be misunderstood as a threat?

After a brief inhale, I said, "I need you to come with me after school." 

She blinked, raising a brow. "Why?" 

"For a project." 

"What kind of project?" she queried. She lifted herself to her toes before rocking back onto her heels. 

"School." 

Kaori crossed her arms and blew a strand of her hair out of her face. She's not convinced. "Okay. Doesn't explain why you need me." 

I bit my tongue and prepared myself for what I needed to say next. In order to guarantee that this loop ends, I had to make sure I was able to convince Kaori and lead her away from dangers without her being overly suspicious of me. Even if I had to lie. "You're the most reliable when it comes to math." 

Her eyes widened in surprise. When her mouth opened and closed without a single word spilling, I was almost pleased that I figured out how to silence the petty girl. I never got satisfaction. 

"I thought you were brilliant at math. Why do you need me?" 

"I don't understand this lesson," I lied, my cells revolting against me. 

"Really?" She clicked her tongue. "Because you were answering sensei's question without a problem earlier." 

"How would you remember that?" I asked without the intention of it coming across sternly. 

"Nothing you do goes unnoticed." 

I didn't expect that answer. As much as I knew that statement was true for most of my classmates, Kaori was the person I least suspected to claim that. To say the least, I'm surprised that was her response. 

When I refrained from answering, she snapped and narrowed her eyes at me. "Is the word stupid written across my forehead or something? Do you think I'm dumb enough to believe your lies?" 

Shit. "I don't know what you're talking about." 

Kaori forced a laugh, but her face still contorted bewilderment. "Acting dumb, I see? Or is it more than an act?" 

Now, I felt something boil within me. Not only did she have to harshly accuse me of lying, but she insulted me in the process. Any other day under different circumstances, I would've dismissed the insult—I don't care what people think of me. But the attitude and disrespect this girl displayed proudly was unnerving.

This scandal seemed more and more like it was a game for fate, and they were mocking me. They decided the most amusing way for this to go about was to put me in a place where I had to negotiate with someone so unreasonably incompetent and then laugh when I fail for another time. 

It infuriated me. 

"If I were to tell you the truth, you wouldn't believe me." 

"So you admitted to lying?" 

I gritted my teeth. "That's not the point." 

She shrugged. "Fine. Then what were you going to tell me?" 

"It doesn't matter. I just need you to meet with me after school." 

"Pfft, yeah, right!" she joked. "Me? Meet with you after school? After the shit you just pulled?" 

My glower deepened. "I didn't have a choice." 

"Wow, that was funny, too!" As if to mock me, she pointed a finger at me and pretended to double over in chuckles. "You didn't have a choice? Dear sir, we always have a choice. You just fooled yourself into believing that wasn't true." 

"You wouldn't understand," I retorted sharply. 

"You're right. Of course, I wouldn't. You're Uchiha Sasuke, after all. You're the main character of this whole show. I'm just the background person that probably dies for your character development." 

My lips sealed on command. I knew she had no idea what was awaiting her in a few hours, but it still didn't feel like it was said accidentally either. It was as if whatever unspoken force was reminding me. Everything around me seemed to turn to mock me—and it took the form of her. Fate really was taunting me. 

She noted my silence as defeat. With fluttering eyelashes, she piped, "Oh! I'm sorry, did I offend you? Did my brutal honesty inconvenience your ego?" 

I felt my nerves tighten and my brain wanted to throw belligerent words at her just to put her in her place. Except I had to ensure this fiasco ended, so I bit my tongue and swallowed my remarks, even if my body fought against it. 

"If I tell you the truth, will you meet with me after school?" I harshly demanded. 

With a click of her tongue, her eyes scanned me demeaningly. "Let's hear it then." 

I didn't hesitate when I said, "You're going to die." 

Unlike her previous reaction to that, she kept a straight face, apparently unamused. Instead of laughing and calling it a scam, she scoffed and looked to the side. "Still playing games, I see?" 

"I'm telling you the truth." 

"And you expect me to believe you for some blatant lie?" 

I shook my head. "You wouldn't understand as I said. You obviously don't believe what I said even though I'm telling you the truth right now."

"You openly confess to lying to me earlier and expect me to instantly believe you for a statement as ridiculous as me dying?" Her face twisted to anger and for the first time, her lifeless eyes sparked a fire. 

The bell rang its signature three bells. Lunch was ending and we had to turn to class. Kaori didn't wait to walk towards the school, to get away from me. 

"Kaori—" I called, not knowing where to go from there. 

She angled her head back for a moment. "Tame your pride, Uchiha. Then you can come and talk to me when you're ready to tell the truth."


	7. Don't Touch It

What surprised me, whether I'd admit it or not, was Kaori waited for me after school. At the end of class, while Naruto sulked and complained, she stood at the door. Her frame was still as the wind before a disaster, and she said nothing to make her presence known. 

Naruto wasted time as he clumsily threw scattered items into his bookbag. He muttered on and on about irrelevant things that temporarily distracted me from my mission. It wasn't until he confidently slung his backpack over his shoulders did I finally notice the girl. 

When I acknowledged her existence, she sighed and adjusted her yellow scarf. The impatient gleam burned in her eyes. It didn't take a genius to figure out that she was inherently frustrated from earlier. 

It didn't take an idiot to figure it out either as Naruto greeted her with his usual optimistic manner, completely oblivious to her fuming mood. "Hi, Kaori-chan!" 

Her eyes flickered over to the blonde, and she smiled. "Hey, Naruto." 

"What are you doing after school?" he queried. 

"Oh, Sasuke asked me to," she replied with an innocent tilt of her head. 

Naruto blinked repeatedly, his eyes darting back and forth between me and the brunette. "He did?" 

"Mhmm! I was a bit shocked, too." 

"Wait, what? Why did you ask Kaori to stay after school?" 

My lips pursued. He never knew when to stop asking questions. "It doesn't concern you." 

In the corner of my eye, Kaori crossed her arms and glared at me. She made an audible sound of disapproval. She decided to answer for me and satisfy the dunce. "He just asked me to stay after school because he didn't know the directions to someplace, and he knew only I did." 

"To someplace? What does that mean?" 

"Oh, I don't know, ask him." Kaori grinned, seemingly benevolent. Her eyes said otherwise. 

Still scowling at the girl, I uttered, "It doesn't matter, Naruto." 

He pouted playfully. "Why do you always have to be so secretive? Aren't we friends?" 

After a moment of awkward silence—and Naruto acting extremely shocked at my not responding—Kaori cleared her throat and glanced up at the time. "Anyway, we should get going. Sasuke wanted to know how to get to this place, uh... fairly quick." 

"Oh, okay. I'll join you guys, then!" Naruto implied, beaming so brightly, it made Kaori wince. 

"Do you want to? I'm sure—"

"No," I interrupted rather sternly. 

"Aw, come on, Sasuke!" the blonde pestered. "Please, let me come!" 

"Yeah, Sasuke. Why can't Naruto come along? There's no harm in that, right?" 

My eyes narrowed. "There's no reason for him to come along." 

"And why's that?" Kaori pressed. 

"He has no business in interfering with us," I answered. 

I wasn't sure whether the girl sealed her lips because she was speechless or disappointed. Knowing her the past four half-days, it was most likely the latter. 

"Aw, come on, teme!" the blonde pursued. "Why can't I come with you?"

"Yeah, what's the harm?" the girl queried. 

"You don't know Naruto like I do," I simply replied. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" the blonde complained. "I promise I won't break anything!" 

I didn't need to respond like I usually do. One glare at him and he immediately understood my silent message. Having known each other for so long, it's something he easily picked up on. 

"Well, not like last time," he mutters and instantly looks away in embarrassment. 

Long moments of awkward silence passed, each one of us growing more uncomfortable, some not knowing what to say.

Getting annoyed by the time wasted just standing, I exited the classroom. "Kaori," was the last word I said before the two were out of my sight.

She'll get one warning if she wants to live. As much as it's a bother to relive the same day, it's a bother to try and keep convincing her and wasting more time. I won't put in more effort than I need to either if her death is ticking near. It'll reload the same day again after another failure. 

There was a quick tapping approaching behind me. Kaori exhaled lightly after catching up to me. I glanced her way, seeing her adjust her yellow scarf for the thousandth time, and pulled her chocolate brown hair out from being stuck underneath it. She always fiddled with her scarf. 

"So this place," she started. "Is this supposed to be an actual place only I know or am I following you blindly? Cause if I'm following you, can we stop by a classroom real quick? I gotta pick something up." 

There she goes, talking yet again. "Which classroom?" 

"Does it matter to you?"

"If I'm coming." 

"There's no reason for you to come along," she spat. "You have no business with it. So why does it matter to you if you're not coming?"

I narrowed my eyes, displeased with her attitude. I said nothing since I knew she was using my words against me to prove a point. 

When enough silence passed by, she sighed and turned a corner into another hall. "Orochimaru-sensei's. I gotta pick up some chemicals." 

"Okay." 

She subtly gave me a side-glance but shook her head helplessly. We were both beginning to see how incompatible we were. 

Upon entering Orochimaru's classroom, I was met with a foul smell. The room reeked of vinegar from the previous class's experiments. The scent lingered strongly in the room and was enough to make me scrunch up my nose. 

Despite the stench, Kaori maneuvered through around the large lab tables, careful not to trip over the misplaced stool chairs. The dark room was only lit by the three large windows against the wall, the cloudy sky growing thicker outside. Even in the dim lighting, I was able to take note of the clock sitting above the unused chalkboard. It read 2:09. 

Funny. I never paid attention to the time before this. I wonder if it was a specific time that triggered the unnatural phenomenon. Would that be a key in ending—

The sound of glass shattering echoed through the room. There was a moment of tense silence and I feared the expected. I turned my head in the direction of an open closet, shelving packed with chemicals in glass containers. I could only imagine what fell from there.

There was no sight of Kaori anywhere, but my curiosities were relieved after I heard a panicked, "No, no, no!" 

Reluctantly, I rounded tables and made my way to the girl crouched on the floor, hands hovering over shattered glass and white powder. 

"Shit!" she cussed. "Orochimaru-sensei is gonna kill me!" 

"Calm down," I demanded. "We just have to clean it up." 

She whipped her head to me, fear evident in her wide eyes. Her fright left me confused. "You don't understand! God, fuck, shit!" Frantically, she wiped her face clear of hair and stress, then massaged her temples. "What am I gonna do?" 

I kneeled down next to her, slightly pissed. The faint bitter smell of almonds wafted through the air, mixing with the tangy vinegar. As I reached to pick up the shards, a tight grip latched around my wrists, preventing me from doing so. Who would imagine a girl, as striking and bold as she, would freak out over a little spill?

"What are you doing?" I hissed, glaring at her now-pale complexion. 

"D-don't touch it, idiot!" She threw my arms back. Her glare was harder than steel. "That's fucking cyanide!" 

My eyebrows knitted together, not in confusion but in realization. After my eyes studied the powder on the floor to her starch hands and up to her whiter face, I began to connect dots. 

"You didn't touch it, did you?" 

She scowled. "Of course not! I'm not a moron." However, after studying my silence and noting my eyes, hers slowly fell to her hands. Her eyes immediately widened. "My face." 

My lips sealed themselves and waited for the inevitable to come. I could only watch Kaori involuntarily gasp and scramble away from the mess, stifling her sobs. 

"I-I tried to catch it when it fell. I thought it was sealed all the way! How was I supposed to know some idiot wasn’t careful?" Hopelessly, she ran her hands through her dark hair, strands of hair clumping together from the powder. "What are the effects of cyanide? It’s deadly, isn’t it? When you breathe it or ingest it or—! We have to call the ambulance, don't we? Right? S-Sasuke?" 

I didn't hold her gaze for long as her eyes watered immensely. Instead, I stood up and took note of the time again. 2:11, and the seconds-arm was rounding the clock quickly. 

"So, you're just gonna do nothing about this?" she stammered angrily. Kaori popped to her feet, frantically wiping at her eyes. Dread swirled in her golden irises, stress taking the form of her gritted teeth. "I-is there anything we can do?"

Although hesitant, I replied dully. "No." 

She cursed under her breath. "Dammit. How could this have happened? One moment I grab my stuff, the next is the cyanide hitting my hand and falling. All I did was try to catch it and now this?" Her lip quivered. “I’m getting dizzy, too. Do you feel dizzy?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“Did… did you touch it? Or breathe it?”

I paused but responded the same. “No.”

“Sasuke?” she squawked. Her voice broke a little. “Am I gonna die?”

This time, I didn’t answer. 

The clock struck 2:13 just as Kaori inhaled harshly. She clutched her chest in shock. Only high-pitched grunts escaped her agape mouth, trying to breathe or speak. Her efforts halted once she figured she couldn't say anything. Her eyes flitted to mine for a split second, reading horror while spilling tears. Soon, they rolled into the back of her head before she eventually collapsed. 

I reached down to check her pulse even if I already knew her resulting condition. Her pained expression was enough to leave me guilty for not helping her, but it wasn’t my problem anymore. It’s not like she’ll remember what happened. Neither of us will be able to change that fact. I doubt we ever will.


	8. Keep Running

"You fucking idiot!" the girl screamed in my right ear. "This was your plan?"

"Shut up and keep running," I grumbled, tightening my grip on Kaori's wrist.

"Really? I was planning on stopping by and saying hello!"

"Now's not the time to be sarcastic!"

"Well, when you point out the super obvious, it's kinda hard not to!"

We rounded a building without sparing a look behind us to see our chaser. After our accidental encounter with him and Kaori's poor way of handling it, we got ourselves into this mess.

"Can you let go of my wrist already?" the brunette demanded. "I'm keeping up with you just fine!"

Reluctantly, I let go of her hand. She was able to keep up with my running speed for now but based on her shortness of breath this early, her stamina won't be able to last the next needed minutes.

Shit.

"Get back here!" the guy from behind us yelled, quickly closing the distance between us.

Kaori made the mistake of looking behind us and squeaked. "You know, this is your fault!" she blamed through gasps.

"How is this my fault, Miss I-Know-What-To-Do?"

She bit her lip but nonetheless retaliated. "Who thought running away from a guy with a gun was a smart idea?"

I glared at her. "And who thought egging him on was a better one?"

She visibly paled but her ears grew distinguishably red. Clearly, she was embarrassed about being in the wrong. "To be fair—"

The green light for the crosswalk flickered off just as we were approaching it. Instinctively, I grabbed her arm again and slowed us down. It was too soon to cross the other pair of crosswalks, so I attempted and yanking her down the sidewalk back towards the shop we originally came from.

"Great, now we're going in circles!" she whined.

I turned my head back to see if I could take note of the guy. A cold chill waved over my body when I realized he wasn't behind me. Why didn't that relieve me? I knew all too well how this goes down.

"Sasuke—!" Kaori cried but was cut off unexpectedly. My grip on her arm is what held me back from running any further.

At that moment, my hand gripped her tighter as not to lose her. Through the groups of people, I was able to find the guy holding Kaori by her scarf, lifting off the ground just barely. Hidden behind under his jacket were his gun and his finger on the trigger. It was aimed at Kaori's chest.

"You don't know what you're doing," I reasoned with the guy.

His smirk grew under his hood, his dark eyes gleaming with victory. "I don't think you know what you're doing, boy."

Kaori's one hand pulled at her scarf to open a clear airway for her to breathe. Her other repositioned to grasp mine. In her fearful eyes, I noticed how much she didn't want to be alone. "Please," she choked.

"Hey, zip it, girl!" the guy hissed quietly as to not draw too much attention to us. "Wouldn't want anything to happen, right?"

"Let her go."

"I'll let your pretty girlfriend go if you give back what you stole from me."

"We didn't take anything from you—" Kaori stammered. The man yanked her scarf up harder causing her to yelp. The girl reached her toes to the floor to gain stability, but her efforts were futile as she continued to choke.

"What did I say about that mouth, girl?"

"We didn't steal anything from you." I held my gaze with the guy who studied me like a foreign object.

"You think I believe that? You think that's what's gonna make me let her go?"

"No—" I started.

"But this will!" Kaori hollered. With the last of her height, she pushed off the ground and aimed her heel for the man's shins. Howling in pain, he released her scarf and gave the girl a chance to escape.

Being her turn, she took my arm and sprinted through the crowd as quick as she could, losing the criminal through snakes of people. Before I opened my mouth, she shouted, "Don't say anything and keep running!"

For once, I listened to her and kept my mouth shut. There was no point in arguing with her when she's that close to dying.

After what felt like an eternity, Kaori pulled me into an alleyway to catch our breaths. She was gasping a storm compared to me. It seemed she wasn't built for something like this. I was surprised she was able to run this long.

"Haha, that was so badass!" she heaved. "Wasn't it?"

"It was reckless," I replied.

"So?"

"What if he decided to shoot you right away, huh? Wouldn't be so badass then."

Her chest continued to lift up and down drastically, but she lifted herself off her knees and straightened her back as if she were perfectly fine.

I pulled my phone out to check the time, following my normal routine. The time read 2:12, which means we've only been running for eight minutes. Albeit, none of that mattered until the clock hit 2:14. I just had to push one more minute.

"You know, I don't see him out there. Do you think we lost him?"

My head perked up at her questions and I felt something punch me in the gut. I was too late when I reached for her arm and yanked her back. The sound of a bullet rippling through the air reminded me of the past fourteen times I've already failed, now adding this one to my list.

Kaori's knees buckled immediately and she planted on the floor lifelessly. Her head oozed with red and fed into the large puddle of blood on the concrete. The stains seeped into her grey jacket and encased papers that fell from her school bag. Kaori's eyes stared up at the sky with a haze coating over them.

I clenched my jaw in frustration. I'm used to her corpse at this point. Her blood, her expressions, her faded eyes, they didn't affect me like they used to anymore. But the failure repeating itself continued to aggravate me.

"That's what that bitch fucking gets!" the guy appeared from around the corner, reloading his gun. "Fucking kicked me in the shin and expected to get away with it."

I checked the time one last time before I lifted my head to the murderer.

"Aw, is pretty boy upset I killed his girl—?"

Fed up with his cockiness, I collided my knuckles with his face. A satisfying crack left his nose gushing blood. Through the pained tears in his eyes, I could feel his burning hatred seethe into me. He opened his mouth to curse out at me, but 2:14 struck.

The clock's wheels turned backward to the beginning of the chaotic mess, the weightless feeling and blurring vision blending back into the same, uninteresting classroom, the clock on the wall reading 8:45.

"I can't believe Orochimaru is giving us another test next week!" Naruto complained as he normally did.

How many times have I heard him say that? Is it fifteen now? With each new death and a day following similar events, the numbers seemed to blend together, each failure imprinting itself in this endless book.

The list of ways Kaori has died continued to grow in more bizarre ways, but none of them surprised me anymore.

After her chemical intake resulting in a cardiac arrest, she was more difficult to persuade than ever before. She refused to leave anywhere with me and locked herself in one of the classrooms to avoid me entirely. One of the gas burners was left on by one of the students, and the room caught fire, taking her with it.

Another was in the library when one of the bookshelves lost balance and tumbled, crushing her. The next, her scarf got caught on something and hanged her. Another time, she choked on a bug. Then she tripped and hit her head, got attacked by a dog, was electrified to death, and more. Each time, she died a different way when I tried to change the outcome.

There was one time I stayed out of her way just like the first time. I became so annoyed with her death that I heartlessly gave up and let her die. I even made sure I distanced myself from her so I wouldn't witness her getting shot. Part of me hoped that was the solution to this senseless cycle, but when I found myself sitting in this seat listening to Naruto ramble on, I knew that with or without my efforts, I was locked in this endless loop.

I was starting to run out of ideas on what to do and how to do it. Besides finding out an answer to this impossible unnatural event, I had to deal with someone as stubborn as Kaori who, no matter the situation or how kindly I acted towards her, hated me with a burning passion.

I took note that Naruto's key reaction is coming up just as Kaori was supposed to slam the door open from being in a rush. Sakura called out Naruto for some embarrassing hobby again, and Naruto cried, "WAH!"

I kept my eyes on the desk, waiting for the silence to spread across the room like a virus, but I heard nothing. I was just met with more bickering between Sakura and Naruto, phrases from them that weren't routine.

My eyes drifted over to the door that was supposed to open several seconds ago. It remained shut for a minute, and then another. I swallowed hard, not sure what to think of this sudden change in the day's schedule. Was this a sign that something's working, or was I now part of an alternate loop? For some reason, I had a feeling for whatever explanation, I wasn't gonna like it. 

What the hell just happened? What the hell is going on?

My legs felt like lead from trying to stay standing, my knees shaking violently because of it. My lungs burned a sensation I've never felt before. I kept gasping for breath, but each intake of oxygen didn't calm me down. My heart's pounding was erotic and each beat drumming to Jumanji until my thoughts quieted its song.

How am I here?

A second ago, I was standing in an alleyway running from some guy. The next, I wake up in a hallway in the blink of an eye.

That's not the worst part, no. What I remember more vividly than the crisp fear I bottled when I was trying to escape someone, was the immediate burst of pain in my head. Although it lasted a second, it released an enormous amount of pain I've never experienced before.

Even though the blood is gone, the guy isn't chasing me, and I'm still very much alive, the throbbing in my head continued to echo to the bullet piercing my head. And the memory of what occurred a second ago was still as fresh and real in my mind as the school hallway I'm standing in now.

And the only thought that echoed in my head repeatedly was, "What the hell is going on?"


End file.
